The London plane tree is a menace

Not Se1-specific but just wanted to vent my spleen about the infernal London plane tree and it's filthy fluffy polleny fluff. Just spent a few days in the countryside and it was lovely; non-London-plane trees in leaf and everything in flower, without any irritants clogging your eyes and throat. Back in London trying to enjoy the warmth I have been blasted, blinded and choked by the horrible fluffy seeds blowing all over the place. Anyone want to join my campaign to chop the blighters down?

Not Se1-specific but just wanted to vent my spleen about the infernal London plane tree and it's filthy fluffy polleny fluff. Just spent a few days in the countryside and it was lovely; non-London-plane trees in leaf and everything in flower, without any irritants clogging your eyes and throat. Back in London trying to enjoy the warmth I have been blasted, blinded and choked by the horrible fluffy seeds blowing all over the place. Anyone want to join my campaign to chop the blighters down?

I agree about the blasted dusty pollen in oneís eyes. Stings like buggery, and the sneezing! Oh dear.
Donít like the idea of those poor trees being slaughtered though. A mandate to not allow anymore to be grown/planted, within zones 1 to 2, would indeed be a better way forward. Another, less polleny tree would be welcome!

Think the trouble is the Plane trees were planted in 1900 approximately and have now reached full maturity. I too was reduced into coughing sessions but to cut them down? No unless like the ones in Jamaica road years ago were leaning perilously Accross pavements at angles!

I agree the plane trees are a big nuisance, I'm suffering too. It isn't a pollen allergy, it's just that the fibres get into eyes and throat and cause huge irritation. My husband is so badly affected he refuses to go out unless he absolutely has to and loads of neighbours are also complaining. None of us has problems away from the London plane trees. It really isn't the best city tree because it's messy all year round and as the streets around us are hardly ever swept there are always piles of muck and leaves blowing around. I wish councils and TfL would plant different trees when replacing old plane trees, they could be gradually phased out.

There is of course a history attached to the Plane tree's existence in London. This species absorbs pollutants very efficiently so was particularly popular during those smoky , mucky 18th ,19th and part 20th century days and nights in London. The Plane trees in Battersea Park for example helped to handle the smoky by products coming out of Southern Region's Nine Elms loco shed plus whatever he Power Station around the corner spewed out.That was all in addition to the residential etc coal fires up until the 1950s

Thankfully that's all gone now ( although of course air pollution from more modern sources is still a problem) so the need for this type of tree would appear to be less in today's situation

However please remember a tree's ability to absorb carbon dioxide . If therefore the Planes are no longer planted they need to be replaced by trees that can remain healthy under today's pollution output in order that the carbon dioxide can still be absorbed at high levels

The London plane is a tough cookie.
I've seen many times where they have planted different trees but they seem to die. The good old London plane has been planted in its place and has survived , so I guess value for money they must be a bargain. They are also fairly fast growers.
All the beige seeds and dust does pass but while they are dropping with the wind behind them they are an uncomfortable experience.
I still like them and they do green up the place so I'm a keeper of them. I suppose a variety of trees is the answer if they survive.

Tone is spot on. Planes do more good than harm. They are majestic, host so much wildlife and like Tone says rid the air of toxins.

Are you sure it's not the ubiquitous Birch trees causing the probs? I'm a very old crone now and have always lived in SE1 but never had hay fever until developers started planting them en masse. They give me itchy eyes, very bad vision and a cough but I wouldn't ask for them to be cut down, I can put up with the inconvenience for the sheer beauty of them and ALL the trees in my manor. Bring them on I say. I just get through a lot of tissues :-)